LANGLEY — Jimmy Price scored in the 34th minute to give South Whidbey a 1-0 lead and the only goal it needed in a 2-0 win.

“Today, these guys played with pride; they played with energy and they just put it all together,” said South Whidbey head coach Joel Gerlach.

The first half was a back-and-forth of missed opportunities and chances for Coupeville (3-0-8 in Cascade Conference; 4-1-7 overall) and South Whidbey. Coupeville senior Nevin Miranda had the first shot on goal that missed the left post by about six inches.

Then, South Whidbey senior Pat Myatt had a chance at a penalty kick about 20 yards out that bent around a wall of three Coupeville defenders and hit the top crossbar.

Early on, Coupeville’s taller forwards and midfielders clogged the passing lanes and frustrated South Whidbey (6-0-5; 8-0-5 overall). Then the Falcons found the answer and energy in the new varsity starters, Price and Steven Lyons.

“They were big, but we had them speed-wise,” Myatt said.

Lyons and Price lined up in the box. Myatt threw in the ball from the east sideline parallel with the front goal post. Lyons headed the ball past two defenders and Price tapped a knee-high kick over Coupeville goalie Isaac Wacker.

“Pat [Myatt] just threw it in and the ball was there, then I turned around and knocked it in,” Price said.

Coupeville’s offense surged in the last two minutes of the first half. The Wolves had two corner kicks but failed to score on either try.

Gerlach sat senior all-conference defender and  co-captain Dean Freundlich, confident in a 1-0 lead. Freundlich was ill the previous week with the flu and played through an ankle sprain most of the season.

“We just want to make sure that he stays healthy for the rest of the games that we have,” Gerlach said.

Tyler Russell and Calvin Shimada entered as defenders to replace Freundlich.

“Ben Rush has done a fantastic job with the JV team this year,” Gerlach said. “The guys that we brought in, Steve Lyons and Tyler Russell, they just did really well.”

The Wolves continued their offensive barrage in the opening minutes of the second half. Coupeville had three shots on goal before South Whidbey got another on a penalty kick by Myatt. South Whidbey senior goalkeeper and co-captain TJ Russell saved all three shots.

Myatt, playing through a cold and a harsh cough for three weeks, hit the free kick around a wall of three Coupeville defenders but it was caught by Wacker.

In the final minutes, Coupeville sophomore Nathan Lamb’s shot on goal crossed from the left side of the box to the upper right corner of the goal before Russell saved the goal by punching it out of bounds. Russell followed that save with another when he caught Coupeville’s corner kick attempt.

Russell drop kicked the ball to the 50-yard line. Myatt got possession and weaved through Coupeville’s defenders before being fouled and receiving a free kick. Myatt faked right and crossed left with a high kick that sailed into the back of the net.

“The kid asked me how it felt and I showed him how it felt,” Myatt said of a Coupeville player. “If you want to trash talk me and try to get inside my head, it’s going to be bad.”

After the goal was scored, the officials whistled the end of the match and South Whidbey extended its winning streak to four games before Monday’s game at Cedarcrest (7-0-4; 7-1-4 overall). Myatt called Friday’s victory a “great confidence builder” and was pleased with how his soccer career against Coupeville ended.

“I couldn’t ask for anything better,” Myatt said.

The win avenged South Whidbey’s previous 3-0 loss to Coupeville.

“It shows us that the first time we lost it was just one of those things that happens in soccer,” Gerlach said, “where you can be the better team but still not win that day because the ball doesn’t go your way.”

“Today, the ball did go our way,” Gerlach added.

As part of a special presentation for senior night, Gerlach brought his red-tailed hawk as the team’s unofficial mascot. Freundlich walked to midfield during pregame introductions with the hawk perched on his left arm. After winning, the presentation of the hawk may become tradition.

“I think that it’s going to be a permanent fixture for next year and from now on,” Gerlach said.

South Whidbey defeated Cedarcrest 2-1 on Monday, April 25 in Duvall. Michael Grimm scored the first goal on Connor McCauley’s penalty shot. Myatt scored the second goal in the 24th minute.

The win extended South Whidbey’s streak to five games as it finishes the season at home against King’s today, then in Everett against Archbishop Murphy at 3 p.m. Saturday, April 30.